If you’re a budding photographer or a seasoned professional, we provide tips and tricks for taking better pictures, some history of photography, and information about the future of photographic technology. Here are 10 of our best articles about photography.

How to Use EXIF Data to Learn From Master Photographers

Exif is a term that refers to an advantage of digital photography of which you may not be aware. It stands for “Exchangeable Image File Format” and it’s the metadata that is usually created for each digital photo you take, or the information about the images taken. Modern digital cameras, including cellphone cameras, can include information such as the shutter speed, ISO, aperture settings, the kind of lens used, the brand of camera, the location where the pictures were taken (geo-tagging), and even the name of the person who took the picture. The following article shows you how to read Exif information and what you can learn from it.

HTG Explains: What is HDR Photography, and How Can I Use it?

How-To Geek has taught you about various aspects of photography. One of them, High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging, can create beautiful photos with detail and clarity thought to be impossible. The following article teaches you about the different types of HDR imaging and clarifies confusing terminology.

Improve Your Photography by Learning the Elements of Exposure

Do you tend to use your digital camera on automatic? With only a few quick lessons on the elements of proper exposure, you can become a better photographer. Photography is all about light, and the following article shows you the different parts of what goes into creating a properly exposed picture. This will give you a better understanding of the automatic settings on your camera, and how to get the same results using the manual settings.

HTG Explains: Cameras, Lenses, and How Photography Works

Have you bought a digital SLR (single-lens reflex) camera and gotten totally confused once you started to try to learn the photography jargon and how to use the different features of the camera? The following article explains photography basics and how your camera works. Learning the basics can help you take better pictures whether you are using a digital SLR camera or a cell phone camera.

How to Make an Incredibly Easy Panoramic Photograph With Any Camera

You may think that you need a special camera to take panoramic pictures. However, the following article shows you how to take good shots with a regular digital camera and how to use an image editor to merge them to create a convincing panorama.

The How-To Geek Guide to Custom Photo Bokeh

Every photograph has a depth of field (DOF) which is the part of the image that is in focus. Everything else that is either too close to or too far away from the camera is out of focus. The part of the image that is too far away is known by the Japanese term, “bokeh,” pronounced “boh-ka.” Bokeh encapsulates the essence and subtlety of a blurred background photo, and the following article shows you how to turn some really cheap materials into a custom bokeh lens hood you can use to create your own photos with beautiful bokeh effects.

HTG Explains: Are Mirrorless Cameras the Future of Digital Photography?

Up until recently, all cameras contained mirrored sensor systems. However, mirrorless cameras have started to become available. They are smaller because they have due to fewer parts and sturdier because they have fewer moving parts. The following article teaches you what “mirrored” cameras are how this new technology fits into the history of cameras. Read on to decide for yourself whether mirrorless cameras are really the future of photography, or will they go the way of Betamax tapes and laser discs.

Image credit: Cameras from Large to Small, Film to Digital by Tom Photos, GNU License

Photography with HTG: What Is A Full Frame Camera? Do I Need One?

Have you heard the term “full frame” camera and wondered exactly what that is? The following article shows you what this is by taking a look at different camera formats and helps you decide if you want to spend the small fortune required to get a full frame camera. Be prepared for a geeky article. It’s not very technical, but there is a lot of photography lingo that may seem intimidating if you don’t know a lot about photography.

HTG Explains: Photography with Film-Based Cameras

Taking pictures on actual film? How quaint. Most of us have moved to digital cameras because they are so easy to use. However, both film-based cameras and digital cameras are used by professional and amateur photographers alike. The following article helps you to increase your photographic knowledge by teaching you how film-based cameras work. You just might start to appreciate your point and click digital camera.

Photography With How-To Geek: When Should I Use a Flash?

Camera flashes have become so commonplace and convenient, that most of us don’t think about it when we take our pictures. However, even though flashes allow you to take pictures in low light, the flash can also change your shot for the worse. The following article shows you what the flash is actually doing, talks about light, compares photos taken with and without a flash, and discusses proper flash use.

Now that you’ve learned a lot about photography, we have a bonus for you. Click the following link to download a wallet-sized cheat sheet containing critical photographic information. This is handy for newbie, who’s just learning, and for the experienced photographers as a handy quick reference.

Lori Kaufman is a writer who likes to write geeky how-to articles to help make people's lives easier through the use of technology. She loves watching and reading mysteries and is an avid Doctor Who fan.

Did You Know

Although the Lord of the Rings trilogy has approximately 3 billion dollars in profit, none of that money has gone to the Tolkien estate; J.R.R. Tolkien sold the movie rights to his literary opus in 1969 for £10,000 (~$16,578.50 USD).